The injured animal rolled down the slope, dislodging rocks along the way, straight for the two men.

One hunter, 28-year-old William McCormick, was seriously injured when he was struck by both a rock and the tumbling bear, the DPS said. His 19-year-old hunting partner was unhurt.

McCormick was rushed by helicopter to an Anchorage hospital with “life-threatening injuries,” the DPS said.

State officials did not say whether the bear was killed, nor did they specify which type of bear it was.

Both hunters are in the military and stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, an Air Force and Army base near Anchorage.

According to the state Fish and Game Department, bears are “waddling fat” at this time of year as they prepare to hibernate in their dens during the winter. Mature male brown bears can weigh up to 900 lbs., while grizzlies can reach up to 1,400 lbs.